Parents And Children Play, Learn Together

April 03, 1986|by NANCY J. FREEMAN, The Morning Call

"There were so many things to stimulate imagination - both mine and my child's. I learned that I could do much more with this age than I thought, especially since this is my second child, and I still seem to be placing my emphasis on the first."

That's just one of the many written comments the Phillipsburg Free Public Library, 200 Frost Ave., has received from parents since it instituted Project Leapfrog in 1978.

Open to preschool children from 2 to 4 years old and their parents, the program gives parents the tools and support to help their children grow and learn in an enjoyable, relaxed atmosphere.

Library director Jayne Hess recalls the project blossomed in 1978 with the aid of astate library grant. "The program really developed out of a workshop I attended at Rutgers University," she says.

At that session, Dr. Benjamin Spock and other experts spoke on the concept, new at the time, that children learn at an earlier age than was previously supposed.

"The very young child," Hess explains, "will learn to read best when interacting with his or her parents."

The public library, she believes, particularly in a community such as Phillipsburg, must serve "as an especially important support institution" for parents wanting to enrich their children's preschool years. "It's hard for parents to know what they should be doing with their very young children," she says.

Some of the goals of Project Leapfrog are:

- To promote an understanding among parents of their role in their children's preschool education.

- To introduce to parents techniques, which may be used at home, to help preschoolers to develop pre-reading skills.

- To promote positive parent and child interaction, stressing the value of talking and reading to children and emphasizing the importance of answering questions and speaking in complete sentences.

For the first three years of its existence, Project Leapfrog was funded through state grants. Since then, it has become an integral part of the Phillipsburg Library, although budget constraints have forced the staff to curtail such services as taking the program out of the library itself to various neighborhood centers.

About four times a year, the library offers five- to six-week programs, once a week, for about an hour and half a session. The library limits each session to 15 pairs of parents and children. To accommodateparents with varied working schedules, Project Leapfrog is held mornings, afternoons and evenings.

Each session's activities - stories, songs, games and crafts - are centered around a theme. Themes may be shapes, colors, shadows, times of day (morning, night) and other concepts.

At the commencement of each session, Faber says, the group generally joins in an activity together, listening to a story, perhaps. "Then we set up stations around the room," Faber says, "and the parent and children go together to each one." Activities might include matching shapes, making collages or sitting together in a cozy corner reading.

Hess stresses the program "is very loosely structured . . . so there's no comparison of Johnny with Bobby." She says, "This lets parents know it's all right . . . that every child develops differently at different ages."

Faber says Project Leapfrog encourages parents to communicate with their children. "If it's matching, drawing conversation out of the child," she explains, adding, "We also stress a sharing between the two."

Hess notes, "The one-to-one relationship is very important."

The relationship being formed is one of enjoyment, curiosity and growth - for both parents and children.

Even snacks follow the theme for the day. If it's Valentine's Day, the children drink red juice. On shapes day, they may share round cookies.

The staff suggests other activities on the same themes for parents to carry out at home. Moreover, books and toys may be borrowed from the library and taken home.

Once during the program, parents have the opportunity to meet briefly without their children to exchange thoughts, concerns and ideas.

Reaction to the program has been very favorable. There is always a waiting list. "I think people are referred by their friends,"Faber says. Many sign up a second or third time.

Parents, in their written evaluations and verbal comments, have indicated they feel Project Leapfrog has contributed to their children's success in school.

Wrote one parent, "We have more discussing of things, more pointing out and closer observing. It has allowed her to feel important because she doesn't just stay home." Another was thankful for "the chance to talk to other mothers and make friends just as my child did."